Swedish Folk-Songs.
Fair Carin.
The fair Carin—a maiden,1
Within a young king’s hall,2
Like to a star in beauty3
Among the handmaids all.4
Like to a star in beauty,5
Among the maidens there ;6
And thus the king addressed him7
Unto Carin the Fair.8
‘ And fair Carin, now hearken,9
Wilt thou be only mine,10
The grey horse, golden-saddled,11
It shall this day be thine.’12
‘ The grey horse, golden-saddled,13
Is all unmeet for me ;14
Give them unto thy fair young queen,15
And let the poor maid be.’16
‘ And fair Carin, now hearken,17
Wilt thou this day be mine,18
My crown, made of the red, red gold,19
It shall alone be thine.’20
‘ Thy crown, made of the red, red gold,21
Is all unmeet for me ;22
Give it unto thy good young queen,23
And let the poor maid be.’24
‘ And fair Carin, now hearken,25
Wilt thou this day be mine,26
The half of all my kingdom,27
It shall alone be thine.’28
‘ The half of all thy kingdom29
It is unmeet for me ;30
Give it unto thy gentle queen,31
And let the poor maid be.’32
‘ And fair Carin, now hearken,33
If thee I may not win,34
A cask, all spiked with iron,35
Shalt thou be set within.’36
‘ And though that thou shouldst set me37
The spikèd cask within,38
They would behold, God’s angels,39
That I am free from sin.’40
They closed Carin, the maiden,41
Within that cruel space,42
And the young king’s hired servants43
They rolled her round the place.44
With that from heaven descended45
Two doves as bright as day ;46
They took Carin, the maiden,47
And there were three straightway.48